Prince William and Prince Harry Were Close To Princess Diana’s Ex-Lover James Hewitt
Despite their massive wedding and the world’s excitement, the union between Princess Diana and Prince Charles was not a happy one. The pair wed in 1981 –though they barely knew each other and by the birth of their second son Prince Harry in 1984, the Prince and Princess of Wales were living separate lives.
Though we all know about the explosive affair between Prince Charles and his now-wife, Duchess Camilla Parker Bowles, Princess Diana’s own affair with Army captain James Hewitt isn’t discussed as often. But the truth is, Hewitt was around so often in the late 1980s that he became close to Prince William and Prince Harry.
When did Princess Diana’s affair with James Hewitt begin?
Around the same time Prince Charles began seeing Camilla Parker Bowles again, Princess Diana struck up a romantic relationship with her riding instruction James Hewitt. Their romance began in 1986. The princess first met Hewitt because she wanted to polish her riding skills. In her book, William and Harry, royal biographer Katie Nicholl explained, “[Diana] had never been a horsewoman but, after seeing how much pleasure it brought her sons, decided to have a go. The handsome Hewitt became her instructor and soon became a regular visitor to Highgrove, where he would help William and Harry improve their trotting and cantering.”
Hewitt and the Princess ended their relationship in 1991, one year before Princess Diana and Princes Charles officially separated. Despite the length of the affair, it was not public knowledge until 1994 when in a money grab–Hewitt released a book, Princess In Love about his relationship with the princess. Princess Diana addressed her affair in 1995 saying only, “Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him – but I was very let down.”
Prince William and Prince Harry were close to James Hewitt
Since Hewitt was around for so many years, Princess Diana’s sons– Prince William and Prince Harry were very close to him. In her 2007 book The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown wrote, “He became such a familiar private guest whenever the prince was away that William and Harry developed a fondness for him. Hewitt had little Army uniforms made for them for their visits to Windsor Barracks. They loved playing on the Highgrove lawn with the Army captain and his black labrador.”
Unfortunately, Hewitt ruined his relationship with the princes’ with Princess in Love and his 1999 autobiography, A Love Like No Other – Diana and Me where he wrote, “I loved Diana. I love her still. I feel blessed that she loved me and we were able to enjoy a few short years which reached heights of happiness I have never known before or since.”
Did Prince Charles know about Princess Diana’s affair with James Hewitt?
Just like Princess Diana knew of her husband’s affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, he knew about her relationship with James Hewitt. Tina Brown explained, “Diana told her lover that her husband knew about the extent of their relationship.” She also revealed that once, Hewitt’s labrador ripped up some of Prince Charles’ new plantings at Highgrove. Apparently, the prince “went ballistic” but “didn’t stop Hewitt’s visits.”
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